In a batchwise production system, transfer of fluids such as raw materials and a product (an intermediate product or a final product) has heretofore been conducted primarily by a transfer system which makes use of fixed pipes and requires changing-over operation of one or more valves. To transfer an intermediate product from a group of plural tanks in a step to another group of plural tanks in another step as needed, for example, in a food or drink production plant, this transfer is carried out by arranging a group of fixed header pipes and changing over the pipes, namely, performing changing-over operation of valves. A system constructed of a header and valves as described above is accompanied by problems such as loses of the raw materials and the product remaining in the pipes and mixing of a fluid of a different kind (cross contamination).
Fields which involve such changing-over of product species include, for example, fields such as foods, pharmaceuticals, fine chemicals and the like.
In the food production field, for example, washing is conducted to avoid contamination or the like due to possible rotting of an intermediate product remaining in piping whenever the piping is changed over. It is the common practice to effect this washing by washing product-contacted portions with washing water while maintaining a piping facility in a fixed state without disassembly, movement and the like of production facilities, that is, by the so-called cleaning-in-place (hereinafter abbreviated as the "CIP") method. Accordingly, directional control valves of a complex construction have heretofore been used for changing over from transfer of a product to washing and vice versa.
Further, for example, in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology-related fields, sterilization is conducted in addition to a CIP washing operation to ensure sterility whenever piping is changed over. It is the common practice to effect this sterilization by the sterilization-in-place (hereinafter abbreviated as the "SIP") method, that is, by causing a high-temperature fluid, for example, steam or the like to act on product-contacted portions while maintaining a piping facility in a fixed state without disassembly, movement and the like of production facilities. To effect changing-over among transfer of a product, washing and sterilization, it has hence been needed to employ a more complicated piping construction and many valves.
For sanitation, it is also necessary to permit easy disassembly of these valves. Further, as their material, corrosion-resistant stainless steel is used and moreover, their surfaces are smoothened by surface treatment. Valves of this type are therefore costly. For a changing-over station, valves are needed as many as the product of the number of pipes in one group by the number of pipes in another group. Use of pipes in a large number therefore leads to a substantial increase in cost.
In Japanese Patent Applications Nos. 21252/1992, 125812/1992, 315207/1992 and 214034/1993, the present inventors have therefore proposed changing-over systems with a view to overcoming such a situation.
The systems proposed in these applications are of a type such that in which desired pipes can be connected together as needed without construction of such a fixed grid-like valve block as in the conventional system shown in FIG. 15.
For example, an automated pipe connection changeover apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 214034/1993 will be described with reference to FIG. 16. When two groups of pipelines are connected together as shown in the drawing, a group of movable carriage cells arranged adjacent to each other as many as the pipelines in one of the pipe groups with lengths thereof extending in parallel with each other is designated as a unit A, while another group of movable carriage cells arranged adjacent to each other as many as the pipelines in other pipeline group with lengths thereof extending at right angles relative to the lengths of the movable carriage cells in the group of the unit A is indicated as a unit B. Individual movable carriage cells in the unit A are provided with movable carriages, respectively, said carriages being connected to the corresponding pipelines in the one pipeline group via flexible pipes, so that the movable carriages are movable in directions of the lengths of the associated movable carriage cells. Pipe couplers connected to end portions of the respective flexible pipes are assembled in the movable carriages, respectively, and when the movable carriages move in the corresponding movable carriage cells, end faces of the respective pipe couplers are caused to move along a common single imaginary plane.
Likewise, in the unit B, movable carriages connected to the corresponding pipelines in the other pipeline group via flexible pipes are also movable in directions perpendicular to the directions of movement of the movable carriages in the unit A so that end faces of pipe couplers assembled in the respective movable carriages are movable along a common single imaginary plane.
The unit A and unit B of the above-described construction are arranged with their imaginary planes extending opposite to each other in a mutually-parallel relationship. Accordingly, the movable carriages in the unit A and those in the unit B move at right angles relative to each other. Each movable carriage is provided with its corresponding pipe coupler. This pipe coupler is connected to its associated flexible pipe which is connected at an opposite end thereof to one of the pipelines which make up the corresponding pipeline group. Responsive to a command for a combination, the corresponding movable carriages are moved to predetermined positions by their associated drive units and are connected together. Owing to the construction as described above, the pipe couplers in the unit A and unit B are moved to desired positions by their movable carriages and then connected together. Flow passages are therefore established between the pipes in the one pipeline group and those in the other pipeline groups via the flexible pipes, respectively. It is therefore possible to perform a connection changing-over operation between the pipeline group connected to the unit A and that connected to the unit B in accordance with combinations of the individual movable carriages.
Use of a system, such as that disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 214034/1993 referred to above, as a connection change-over system has made it possible to flexibly respond changing-over of products. Changing-over in fields where washing and sterilization are indispensable and important however still involves the following problems.
(1) After washing, the pipe couplers are disconnected and remain exposed to the air. There is hence the potential problem that sundry bacteria may deposit on the pipe couplers. PA1 (2) Unless the pipes are internally sterilized subsequent to washing, there is also the potential problem that bacteria may proliferate there. PA1 a) pipes are physically isolated from each other so that mixing of a product of a different kind is completely eliminated, PA1 b) washing and/or sterilizing operations can be performed by flexibly combining them in accordance with the level of sanitation required for each product, PA1 c) connection of pipelines can be changed over in plural combinations at the same time, and PA1 d) there is no potential problem of intrusion of sundry bacteria through seal portions of couplers even during a standby time. PA1 automated connection means for changing over connection between (A) a pipeline group composed of plural pipelines having movable carriages at one end portions thereof and (B) another pipeline group composed of plural pipelines having movable carriages at one end portions thereof, said automated connection means being, as will be defined below under I! and II!, provided with: PA1 utility feeding means for washing and/or sterilizing said couplers and pipe groups in said automated connection means, and PA1 drainage means for discharging effluent produced as a result of washing and/or sterilization; PA1 said movable carriages of said pipeline group (A) being provided with said couplers in one (IIa or IIb) of said coupler combinations II! whereas said movable carriages of said pipeline group (B) being provided with said couplers in the other one (IIb or IIa) of said coupler combinations, respectively, thereby enabling pipe connection between said two pipe groups, PA1 utility pipes from said utility unit being connected to washing and/or sterilizing chambers of said couplers arranged in the respective movable carriages of said automated connection means, openings of said washing- and/or sterilizing-purpose couplers, and a first group of caps which may be arranged on said movable carriages of said automated connection means, said first group of caps being arranged for downward connection to couplers having discharge flow passages for washing and/or sterilization fluid; PA1 said drainage means accumulating waste water, which is produced by washing and/or sterilization operations, via a second group of caps arranged for upward connection to couplers having washing and/or sterilization chambers therein, said second group of caps being optionally arranged on the respective movable carriages of said automated connection means, couplers having discharge flow passages for washing and/or sterilization fluid and discharge ports of washing- and/or sterilizing-purpose couplers, and PA1 said first group of caps and said second group of caps being applicable to their corresponding couplers when said couplers are not connected together.